Blogging For Dummies

By Susannah Gardner and Shane Birley

Everybody’s doing it! And while that logic never got far with your mother, it’s a fine reason to start blogging, especially if you have a business to build or a cause to promote. Well-run blogs do more than offer an outlet for your thoughts. They’ve actually influenced everything from a company’s image to the outcome of a local election.

Because the blogosphere is pretty crowded, it’s a good idea to find out a bit about the anatomy of a blog, what makes a good one, and what it takes to keep one going before you dive right in and start sharing with the world. Blogging For Dummies, 2nd Edition gives you all the basics so you can get a good start. And if you’ve been around the blog a few times and want to advance to the next level, Blogging For Dummies, 2nd Edition even takes a look at podcasting and videoblogging.

You’ll find out how to:

• Make your blog stand out in a crowd, build an audience, and even make it pay
• Choose the best software options, boost readership, and handle comments
• Generate revenue from your blog with ads and sponsorships
• Protect your privacy and your job
• Deal with spam and the inappropriate comments from that guy who posts several times a day
• Find your niche
• Attract and keep readers
• Use your blog to promote your business, cause, or organization
• Add audio, video, cool widgets, and more

Ready? Get Blogging for Dummies and let’s get started!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wiley
• Release date: Apr 14, 2008
• ISBN: 9780470285176

Reviews for Blogging For Dummies

[suetu_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My name is Susan and I’m a dummy…No, really, a BIG dummy because I’ve been blogging for two years now! I got tired of looking at other people’s awesome blogs and thinking, “Why can’t I do that?” I finally admitted that I was a big, hopeless dummy and bought this book. God, I wish I’d done it sooner!With two years of experience under my belt, I figured that I’d just skip around the book, picking out little nuggets of info here and there. On the contrary, I find myself reading the vast majority of the chapters in their entirety. The book is written in a pleasant and engaging style. I figure it can’t hurt to do a little remedial work on the stuff I think I already know. Meanwhile, I’m just thrilled with what I’ve learned already. Don’t laugh at the blonde girl, but links have always been a mystery to me. Now, I’m a pro! I’ve “claimed” my blog through Technorati. I’m committed to adding occasional guest blogger posts. I’m working on a simpler redesign of my blog, and I’m considering ways to add multimedia posts. I’m going to spruce up my sidebar and try to engage my community more. The great thing is that now I have a reference that will help me accomplish all of this and more.My only complaint is that while this most recent edition (the third) is barely a year old, already some of the information is becoming outdated. I don’t know if I’ll spring for the fourth edition once it’s published, but I’ll definitely take a look at it to see what’s new.I have a list of friends waiting to borrow this reference book. It may not be the right tool for all bloggers, but it you’re as clueless as I clearly am, Blogging for Dummies is highly recommended!

[meyskens_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I used this book over and over again. I thought I would join the blogging world and had no idea how to do this. It was a good book to get me started on how to set up a blog and how to add all the little extras. As I am not into programming at all - I had to really work at getting my blog set up - this book helps to explain all the different aspects. I ended up setting my blog up on Wordpress and this book is geared more to Blogger. However, after having said that - it still helped me through the basics.

[thatgirl123_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Pretty basic if you've been blogging for awhile, but there is some useful widget info.

[priddle_7 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This is the first "For Dummies" book that I have read and would say that it lives up to its title. I have been blogging for almost six months and have most of what the book covers down. It is a good book if you want the ABC's of blogging. I have gotten a couple valuable nuggets out the book though. For instance, the referral to LibraryThing.No need to go out a buy this book unless you prefer to learn through a book as opposed to surfing the web. Everything that is discussed throughout the book can be found for free on the Internet. You may just have to look around a little.